Oliver Oakes travelled to Dubai after brother arrested with ‘large amount of cash’

Former Formula 1 team boss Oliver Oakes is understood to have travelled to Dubai, shortly after developments involving his brother and the Hitech team emerged.

Oakes parted ways from Formula 1 in the aftermath of the Miami Grand Prix. His brother, William Oakes, was recently arrested and charged with ‘transferring criminal property’.

Oliver Oakes believed to be in Dubai

Original reporting by Thomas Maher

Former Formula 1 team principal Oliver Oakes is understood to have flown to Dubai straight from the Miami Grand Prix, with the reasons for his trip to the United Arab Emirates unknown at this time.

Oakes previously served as the head of Alpine’s F1 team, as well as founding Hitech GP, a team in junior European single-seater racing.

In the aftermath of the Miami Grand Prix, Oakes resigned from his role as Alpine team principal with immediate effect, citing personal matters. Flavio Briatore, who had previously rejoined Alpine as an advisor, will be assuming the lead of the team.

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According to the Metropolitan Police in the UK, Oakes’ brother Williams was arrested with “a large amount of cash” near the Hitech GP factory in Northamptonshire.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said in a statement given to PlanetF1.com: “William Oakes, 31 (30.12.1993) of Rugby was charged with transferring criminal property on Friday, 2 May after he was stopped in the Silverstone Park area in Northamptonshire on Thursday, 1 May 2025 in possession of a large amount of cash.

’He appeared before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 3 May, and was remanded in custody.”

Both Oakes brothers are directors of the Hitech GP company, which is located in the Silverstone Park area. There is no suggestion that Oliver Oakes has any involvement in the matters involving his brother.

Hitech GP has had historic ties with Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin. In 2016, with Hitech GP signing Nikita Mazepin as a driver, it also signed Russian potash fertiliser company Uralkali, headed up by Mazepin, as a sponsor – Mazepin Senior also took a partial ownership stake in Hitech.

Through his investment company Bergton Management, Mazepin increased his ownership to 75 percent, but these shares were relinquished to Oliver Oakes, through a holding company named Hitech Global Holdings, in March 2022 upon commencement of Russia’s military action in Ukraine and the imposing of economic sanctions upon Russia in the EU and the UK.

In July last year, shortly before Oliver Oakes was confirmed as Alpine’s F1 team boss, he registered further ownership changes of Hitech GP as he took significant control with 75 percent or more of the shares and voting rights.

Under the previous structure, the holding company could be used to create a legal separation between a business’s assets and its owners, aiding in the reduction of some liabilities and taxation.

The changes Oakes made it easier for him to control the future of Hitech in terms of a sale or a succession plan.

Most recently, Mazepin paid a “personal” visit to Oliver Oakes during Bahrain testing ahead of the F1 2025 season.

The reaction after Oliver Oakes’ resignation

The leading theory that emerged after Oakes’ resignation was a potential disagreement between him and the Alpine team over the demotion of Jack Doohan in favour of Franco Colapinto. However, new team boss Flavio Briatore said that wasn’t the case.

“A lot has been said in the past 24 hours incorrectly associating the decision of Oli resigning to an alleged disagreement or that we shared different views,” Briatore wrote on social media.

“This is completely false and far from the truth. Me and Oli have a very good relationship and had long-term ambitions to drive this team forward together.

“We respect Oli’s request to resign and have therefore accepted his resignation. The reasons are not related to the team and are of a personal nature.

“I will continue to be more and more involved with the team, together with the strong management we already have in place. We will work hard on improving our position this season and preparing for 2026.”

Oakes responded to Briatore’s post, writing,

It’s been a privilege to lead everyone at Enstone, what a team, what a place. It is a personal decision for me to step down.

“Flavio has been like a father to me, nothing but supportive since I took the role, as well as giving me the opportunity. Everyone is in place for 2026 and where this dream deserves to be!

“I believe in Enstone.”

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